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“Promise.” The hug ended with his step back. “One more question, then we get back to talking about puppy shit. Literally.” Humor, a good sign.
“Okay, what’s your question?”
“The guy you’re dating now. Since you don’t expect the relationship to last and committing to me isn’t the reason, I assume you don’t feel the things you described for him either?”
Not just a question, a fully loaded question. One that required a carefully worded answer.
“There’s a different reason.”
“Which is…?” He motioned for her to continue. “As the other half of your parenting equation, I think it’s reasonable that I know whatever negative thing you’ve found about the current man in your life. Also, hearing how’s he not perfect will help my bruised ego a little.” The wink he gave told her they truly would be okay. As friends.
“I can’t believe you’re playing the soothe-my-bruised-ego card.” She smiled while peeking into the puppy’s supply bag.
“I’m not, not really. Thought it’d lighten the mood, which it did. And if it got me an answer in the process, bonus. But I’m not going to pry into your personal business. If the guy turns out to be important, or there’s something I should be aware of, I trust you to let me know. Here, let me get that, it’s heavier than it looks,” he said, stepping forward to pick up the bag as she slipped her arm under the straps.
“Thanks.” She followed him to the kitchen. Watched him unpack the seemingly bottomless bag onto her counter, where he sorted it into a tidy line.
“I’ll bring her crate in from the car and set it up wherever you want it. Lennox will monitor the supplies and I’ll make sure you never run out. You shouldn’t need anything else. If you do, let me know and I’ll reimburse you. The puppy will cost you time, but all monetary expense will be mine. I’ve already set up an account for her at your veterinarian’s office, should you have to take her there for any reason. They’ll charge my credit card.”
“So organized.”
“Just the way you like things.” He knew her so well. After hanging his heart out and taking rejection with more grace than most, he deserved an answer.
“He’s younger than me, the guy I’m seeing,” she said, leaning on the counter. “Considerably younger. That’s why I don’t expect it to last, long term.”
Mirroring her position, Tim leaned against the island. “Define ‘considerably.’”
“Fourteen years. He’s twenty-eight.” Only because she was scrutinizing his reaction did she notice the slight elevation of Tim’s eyebrows. “For the record, this isn’t a midlife cougar phase. I knew him from the gym when he used to be there, but never expected to date him. I ran into him in the coffee shop recently and there was a spark. I mean, there had always been a spark, but neither of us had ever acted on it. He asked me out and it grew quickly from there. He’s friendly and funny, very intelligent, he works hard, owns his own place and is close with his family.”
“You’ve met his family?”
“Just his mother. She stopped by Sam’s place while I was there.”
“Sam?” Tim’s eyebrows rose another notch. “The guy I met at the bakery?”
Apparently, her subconscious had decided to share more information than her conscious had planned. No going back now. “Yes.”
“I see,” he said.
She knew Tim pretty damn well too, and “I see” was his standard placeholder response.
“Whatever’s on your mind, Tim, just say it.”
“All right. At the bakery, Sam introduced himself as your friend, but I sensed it was more than that. When you told me that you’re seeing somebody, I wondered if it might be him. Even so, I had it branded as a casual fling, based on his appearance. Don’t get me wrong, you’re beautiful and nobody would guess you’re forty-two, but Sam is obviously younger. Listening to you describe him though, things don’t sound casual.”
“They’re not. I thought it would be casual, but it turned out to be more than that.”
Tim nodded. “Passionately in-love more.”
“Passion, for sure.”
“But not love? Doesn’t passion without love fall into the casual category?” He held a hand up before she could answer. “No ulterior motives here, I promise.”
“You’re not ‘asking for a friend?’”
He laughed. “I suppose I am. But the friend is you, not me.”
“Me? How so?”
